I'm off for some culture

[gramage]

well not really, just some Shakespeare, "A Midsummer Nights Dream" is playing in High Park for PWYC (pay what you can for those unfamiliar with theatre) it's a good play so anyone interested should check it out. it runs till early septemberso plenty of time, I'll post a review when I get back
Later

 

[wollensak]

Gramage theatre

GO Gramage! I checked this out many years ago, it was fun then.
I hope some of you at least checked out the fringe festival, or will next year. Surprisingly good shows for $8 a pop.

 

[gramage]

well here's a twist, this time I got dressed up and didn't need to.
for this production they should change the plays name to "A midsummer nights acid trip" because thats exactly what these guys were on when they thought this production up. the show had some weak moments but was good, I want to go back if I can get some pot, this production needs to be experienced while high.

 

[dude abides]

Cool..

I might check it out.. the last time I saw MSND was at Stratford a couple years ago. I really got a kick out of the guy who played Bottom(he does 3-5 different plays per season).

IMHO he played it better than Kevin Kline did in the Movie..

I'm always up to see a new take on Shakespeare. (please no jokes, I mean a different kind of up!!)


the dude abides..

 

[Jay_toronto]

Let's get to the point

I like my Shakespeare with generous amounts of blood'n'guts. I'm still waiting for Roman Polanski's "That Scot's play" to be released on to DVD. I did eventually find a DVD format of Richard Burton's Hamlet, it's never been available on VHS, in my estimation the supreme melancholy Dane. Sir John Geilgud directs and plays the Ghost.

Aldo

Think of me what you will
I have a little space to fill
-Tom Petty

 

[Jay_toronto]

You don't know what it's like to be Ripped.

Signore Ripped

I checked the website and it says, "only available on DVD" so you stand corrupted..er..corrected.

 

[Jay_toronto]

Easy buddy.

It's not going to profoundly change the course of my life knowing it's on VHS. Take it up with someone who gives a f###.

Btw, I'll avoid Mary when she's bloody. I've never devolped a taste for shrimp cocktail.

 

[gramage]

Just a few specifics about the production:
Puck is cute but not very good, for some reason a 12 year old kid is playing one of my favorite characters ever written and while he works great visually he gives nothing to the text.
randomly throughout the play people speak in different languages, not often, just enough to be annoying.
the lovers are great, lots of laughs very physical, good interaction and both the women are attractive (but regardless of looks I want to see Michelle Polak in any show she does, I've seen her in two in the last year and she has been very good in both)
the fairies are entertaining (and the reason I want to be stoned if I see it again), all their voices are altered, the costumes are funky and their running all over the stage.
the guys playing Bottom does a great job, he's so unlikable and goofy you cheer every time he makes an ass out of himself (pun intended and appropriate) the rest of the mechanicals are solid and the play they do at the end is very funny.
check it out if you get the chance, at pay what you can every night it's the best value you'll find, just remember to bring something to sit on.

 

[luckyjackson]

We throw dinner into a picnic basket and go to the dream in the park every year. It's never great theatre, but the atmosphere is nice. You'll enjoy as long as you don't expect too much. I wish they'd try something different though, they rarely depart from msnd.

I'm a Shakespeare addict as well. My favourite versions of Hamlet are Olivier and Branagh. Hard to say which one's better because Olivier's production is stripped down and carried by almost solely by him - which he was capable of doing at the height of his powers.

Branagh's though. Well, at four hours it still seems to fly by for me. Beautiful production that does justice to the soul of the play. This film is accessible to all but does not diminsh the Bard's greatest accomplishment. If Branagh turned out nothing but formulaic Hollywood trash for the rest of his life, he should still be honoured for this film. Obviously, one of my favourites.

 

[iguana]

Billy in the Park is great...as long as you take your mosquito repellant.

 

[Jay_toronto]

Alas Ripped I knew him well.

Branagh?!

I thought his portrayal of the melancholy Dane was absolutely flat. Am I missing something here?

Derek Jacobi and Kate Winslet were excellent as Ophelia and Claudius and it was a first rate production. Even Chucky Heston had his moment of brilliance.

While he was still in his "Great White Hope" phase James Earl Jones did a cracker of an Othello, does anyone know if it was ever recorded? J.E.J is such a domineering presence I can't imagine an Iago capable of getting the better of him.

Aldo

The Roman Celt who likes his Petrarch as much as Billy Bob Agitolancia did.